〜ばそれまでだ (~ba sore made da) — once ~, that's the end of it / it's all for nothing

However hard you worked, if one thing happens it is all wasted — 'that's where it ends'.

Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

Vば + それまでだ

Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

When to use it

For six months you prepared for the JLPT day and night. But what if you oversleep on test day? 「どんなに勉強しても、寝坊すればそれまでだ」— 'however much you study, if you oversleep, that's the end of it.'

Meaning

「それまで」= 'up to that point': once that thing happens, all the effort before it is wasted and nothing more can be done — that is the feeling of 「〜ばそれまでだ」.

How to attach

Attach it to the ば-form of a verb: 寝坊すれば・使わなければ + それまでだ.
It usually pairs with 「どんなに〜ても」「いくら〜ても」— 'however much you ~, if ~ happens, it's over'.
There is also the set phrase 「と言われればそれまでだが」— 'if you put it that way I have no answer, but…'.

Versus what you know

It looks like 「〜たが最後」that you learned earlier, but there is a difference: 「たが最後」says 'once ~ happens, something bad is sure to follow' — it's about what comes after; 「ばそれまでだ」says 'everything before becomes worthless'.

Watch out

Note: it is always negative, about things being wasted; it doesn't fit a good result.

Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

どんなに勉強しても、試験の日に寝坊すればそれまでだ。

どんなにべんきょうしても、しけんのひにねぼうすればそれまでだ。

However much you study, if you oversleep on test day, that's the end of it.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) どんなに勉強しても = however much you study (the effort) → 寝坊する = to oversleep → ば-form: 寝坊すれば → 「それまでだ」 = all the effort before is wasted.

高い自転車を買っても、盗まれればそれまでだ。

たかいじてんしゃをかっても、ぬすまれればそれまでだ。

Even if you buy an expensive bicycle, if it gets stolen, that's the end of it.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 高い自転車を買っても = even if you buy an expensive bicycle → 盗まれる = to be stolen → ば-form: 盗まれれば → 「それまでだ」 = all that money is wasted, and nothing can be done.

いくらいい資格を取っても、使わなければそれまでだ。

いくらいいしかくをとっても、つかわなければそれまでだ。

However good a qualification you get, if you don't use it, it's all for nothing.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) いい資格を取っても = even if you get a good qualification → 使わない = to not use → ば-form: 使わなければ → 「それまでだ」 = the qualification becomes useless.

Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

Question: 1/3

「どんなにいい薬でも、きちんと＿＿それまでだ。」— fill the blank.

💡 Hint: Which form always comes before 「それまでだ」?